Holloway, Cape Coral earn preseason tie

29. August 2010 · Comments Off · Categories: News · Tags: , , , , , , , , , ,

Three dropped or bobbled passes by Cape Coral senior receiver Prince Holloway on Saturday evening had his new coach Brad Metheny wondering about his top offensive threat.

But with 51.6 seconds remaining, Holloway put some of his coach’s concerns to rest.

Holloway caught a pass in the open field from senior quarterback Bryan Greenwell and then sprinted into the Dave Warkentin Field end zone for a 49-yard touchdown reception.

Two plays later, time ran out on the Riverdale Raiders, who had to settle for a 20-20 tie with the Cape Coral Seahawks in a preseason game that began 22.5 hours after it was originally scheduled because of heavy rain and poor field conditions.

Both coaches were just happy to get a full game in following a week of rain-shortened practices. Rain and lightning threatened again at halftime, but a 30-minute delay later, the second half began with Cape Coral still trying to get the ball in Holloway’s hands.

“He’s one of the fastest kids in the area,” Riverdale coach Rob Hinson.

“For our defense to contain him for as long as it did, I’m happy about that. He just happened to break it with 50 seconds left in the game.

“If he gets some touches, he can break it at any time.”

Holloway caught six passes for 107 yards and the game-tying touchdown. He also scored on an 8-yard reverse with 5:07 remaining in the second quarter with Cape Coral trailing 14-7.

Greenwell completed 10-of-22 passes for 203 yards and a touchdown with two interceptions.

Riverdale junior quarterback Jeff Colton, who shook off a vicious hit in which his helmet flew off, took command after completing a 24-yard pass to senior Roderick Lindsey for a 7-0 lead with 55 second remaining in the first quarter.

Colton struck again early in the second quarter, firing a 5-yard pass to senior David Klimaszewski for a 14-0 lead that impressed Hinson.

“He loves it,” Hinson said of Colton’s physical style of play. Colton rushed eight times for 54 yards. He completed 9-of-17 passes for 98 yards with two touchdowns and one interception.

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“He’s 6-foot-2, 195 pounds. He works hard in the weight room. He matches up with linebackers. He is stepping up. He is starting to take charge. He showed some maturity out there.”

Both teams had trouble getting their running games going. Cape sophomore T.J. Johnson rushed for 43 yards, including a 5-yard touchdown, on 11 carries. Riverdale junior Levi Sourinha rushed for 27 yards, including a 4-yard touchdown, on 10 carries.

Cape Coral coach Brad Metheny praised his defense, in particular senior linebacker Chris Johnson (interception, half a sack), senior Josh Monteagudo, Andrew Iverson, Shaq Edwards and Mark Bailer.

“They made plays,” Metheny said. “Johnson’s interception was huge.”

Riverdale 7 7 0 6 – 20

Cape Coral 0 7 0 13 – 20

Riverdale: Roderick Lindsey 24 pass from Jeff Colton (Mark DeBoy kick)

Riverdale: David Klimaszewski 5 pass from Colton (DeBoy kick)

Cape Coral: Prince Holloway 8 run (Johnathan Ramirez kick)

Cape Coral: T.J. Johnson 5 run (run failed)

Riverdale: Levi Sourinha 4 run (kick blocked)

Cape Coral: Holloway 49 pass from Greenwell (Ramirez kick)

Holloway, Cape Coral earn preseason tie

Cape Coral’s 40th anniversary: From the editor

12. August 2010 · Comments Off · Categories: News · Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Welcome to a special section of The News-Press that celebrates the 40th anniversary of Cape Coral’s incorporation. Cape Coral officially became a city on Aug. 18, 1970.

I’ve worked in Cape Coral for five years, and I’m still struck every day by how passionate people are about the city and all the things that have made it so unique over the years.

Our section has a dual purpose as it tries to honor that passion: to track the history and growth of the city and to celebrate the character of the community through the events, fun places and culture that have sprung up around us.

To do that, we’ve divided the section into parts. We have a brief introduction about Jack and Leonard Rosen, the visionaries who helped sell the world on Cape Coral, but we’re mostly tackling things from 1970 onward, although our community has been around much longer than that.

- Part I is all about the building blocks: How the city incorporated, the first mayors and the city council, and how the fire and police departments were formed.

- Part II is about progress. You’ll read about the first schools, the Cape Coral Hospital, the Midpoint Bridge and business options that have sprung up.

- Part III is called people and places. These are stories about the first people and neighborhoods in the city, night life and special events.

- Part IV takes a look at the city’s arts and recreation options.

We also have plenty of old photos from all eras, timelines, and other interesting tidbits to help give readers a sense of what their city is all about, how it got to where it is, and where it might possibly be going.

I would like to thank Anne Cull of the Cape Coral Historical Society, who let us use some fantastic photos. I encourage all residents to check out this amazing resource. The museum, run entirely by volunteers, has tons of exhibits and a wealth of information. It truly is a treasure trove. Visit www.capecoralhistoricalmuseum.org.

A big thanks must also go to our city historian, Paul Sanborn, whose knowledge and general good humor kept us pointed in the right direction.

Here’s to another 40 years. Thanks for reading.

Cape Coral’s 40th anniversary: From the editor

Cape Coral police volunteers make security checks

11. August 2010 · Comments Off · Categories: News, Tech · Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

It was Julie Tinkham?s first day on the job as a Cape Coral police volunteer trainee.

Under the instruction of veteran volunteer Peter DiPaolo, she was making security checks at houses where owners were away on vacation.

Making home security checks is one of the many services provided by Cape Coral?s 158 police volunteers, said volunteer Capt. Joe Hartley. He said the unpaid volunteers check as many as 30 homes a week.

Although she was new at the job, Tinkham said she immediately noticed something was wrong as as she walked up to the house in Southwest Cape Coral two weeks ago.

?I could see scratch marks on the door and that it appeared to be unlocked,? said Tinkham, 67.

She said she called to DiPaolo, who was behind her: ?Pete, we have a problem, take the lead.?

DiPaolo pressed the door and it opened.

?He said in a loud voice, ?run,?? said Tinkham, a retired oral surgery nurse who graduated in July from the city?s volunteer police academy.

DiPaolo, 64, said volunteers are told to leave quickly if they find a burglarized home. Volunteers aren?t armed and don?t want to run the risk of encountering burglars inside, he said.

They ran to their patrol car and called for officers, who went inside and found that burglars had indeed broken in, stealing a gun, a radio and a television. Police collected evidence and the investigation is continuing.

Dipaolo said the houses are checked daily. In a year, he said, he checks about 250 homes.

The service, said DiPaolo, helps discourage burglars.

And in the event a house on the security checklist is burglarized, the sooner the crime is discovered by a volunteer, the better chance there is of solving the crime, Hartley said.

After a homeowner goes to the police station and fills out a request for a security check, ?we go out and check the doors and the windows. We make sure that the pool pump and the air conditioner haven?t been stolen,? said DiPaolo, who has been a police volunteer for more than a year after retiring from a career in computer technology.

Besides the possibility of encountering burglars, there are other hazards to the job, including dogs.

Once, a neighbor?s pit bull stood on its hind legs and looked at him and Tinkham over the fence of a house they were checking.

?I just talked to him and said, ?Hello, how are you doing,?? Tinkham said. She said that seemed to calm the dog, which didn?t bother them, although it could easily have jumped the fence.

Although they don?t get paid, the volunteers are sometimes rewarded for checking people?s homes.

Thelma Koonce, 89, baked them a batch of cookies and an apple pie for checking on her southeast Cape Coral house while she was out of town in June and July.

?I just appreciated what they did. I wanted to return the favor,? she said.

Cape Coral police volunteers make security checks

Cape Coral’s Sandoval stays strong

03. July 2010 · Comments Off · Categories: Family, News · Tags: , , , , , , , , , , ,

Bob and Helen Weyant were looking for a slice of tropical Florida when they moved to Cape Coral from New Jersey a year and a half ago.

Their home in the Blackburn neighborhood of the Sandoval community in Cape Coral fit the bill.

“This is what Florida felt like to us, and we liked the sense of community, too,” Bob Weyant said.

Sandoval, a 524-acre master-planned community off Veterans Memorial Parkway, opened in January 2005 and phase II of the community passed its 50-percent-sold mark Monday.

Builders in Sandoval have sold 272 out of 541 single-family homes and villas planned for phase II. Plans call for Sandoval to have 1,579 homes.

Scott Connell, general manager of Sandoval for developer Bonita Bay Group, said the community exceeded estimated sales by 25 percent in 2009, although sales projections are re-evaluated frequently due to the economic climate.

Weyant, 56, said that with so many foreclosures around and empty lots scattered through Cape Coral, his gated neighborhood held a lot of appeal.

“At least when we come into our community we feel like it’s a community – with sidewalks, people walking dogs and kids running around,” said Weyant, who was hanging poolside with his 2-year-old grandson, Cole.

Sandoval boasts a lifestyles director who coordinates a monthly social activities calendar and helps organize residents who share similar interests such as poker or volleyball, contributing to the vacation-like feel of the community, said Sandy Nagorski, Bonita Bay Group’s on-site representative.

She said the year-to-date sales (through the end of June) reached 49 homes, compared with 48 for the same period in 2009.

“We’re holding our own,” Nagorski said.

National builders such as Taylor Morrison, Pulte Homes and D.R. Horton are offering a variety of models in Sandoval priced from the mid-$100,000s with lots ranging in size from 50 by 130 feet to 70 by 130 feet.

Taylor Morrison has sold 61 homes out of the 116 available in the Maraval neighborhood, exceeding more than 50 percent sold as well.

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D.R. Horton is moving into areas where Ryland Homes had previously built. The group has been a builder in Sandoval since June, but has written contracts for four new homes, said Kristy Grove, spokeswoman for D.R. Horton in Southwest Florida.

Although Cape Coral has a steady inventory of foreclosed homes for sale, some homeowners already know whether it’s a newly built home or a foreclosed home they’re looking for, said Paula Hellenbrand, owner of Encore Realty and spokeswoman for the Cape Coral Association of Realtors.

“It doesn’t matter what the product is or where it is,” Hellenbrand said. “It comes down to value.”

She said the resale market is pretty strong and is also present in Sandoval, with 29 Sandoval homes sold by Realtors in 2010 and another 30 homes listed on the multiple listing service. There are also 20 homes with contracts expected to close, she said.

In some cases, home buyers are not only attracted by the 5,319- square-foot community center with a variety of amenities, but also are drawn by a feeling that their home has a better chance of retaining its property values.

“In light of what’s happened in the last few years in housing in general, they want to live in a place that feels safe and comfortable,” said Stephen Haines, vice president of sales for Pulte Homes’ South Florida operations. “What buyers are telling us is that they’re taking care and looking for those locations that feel more stable.”

Cape Coral’s Sandoval stays strong